Love to own a piece of history? An oddity? A discussion starter? Amateur historian? A bit of fun? A collector? Or simply like to explore and discover things that are unique?
Support the Countess Country Museum’s Royal Line Sale (the Royal Line, was the name of the interconnected Hamlets in the area by rail, that Countess was historically a part of). Pics from last week and previous garage sales, plus these newly opened up from the vault before.
C’mon by the museum, or text Wayne for purchase: 403-701-0775
Royal Line Garage sale continues Sunday Sept. 1 and Monday Sept. 2, 10 to 5 p.m. daily
Hear ye hear ye come on down the Royal Line to Countess Country Museum we are 8.5 km on 550 from Trans Canada. Looking forward to seeing everyone out to discover new treasures and history
Royal Line Garage sale continues Sunday Sept. 1 and Monday Sept. 2, 10 t 4 p.m. daily
Hear ye hear ye come on down the Royal Line to Countess Country Museum we are 8.5 km on 550 from Trans Canada. Looking forward to seeing everyone out to discover new treasures and history
In keeping with the topic of hotels, I am pleased to share the following story from the front page of the Bassano News publication of October 12, 1911.
October 12, 1911
Hunter Hotel Opened Today
The Finest Hotel Between Calgary and Medicine Hat
(BN) With accommodation for almost one hundred guests, with attractive and up-to-date fittings throughout, hot and cold water and all modern conveniences, the Hunter Hotel, the best between Calgary and the Hat, opens its doors today with a dance and banquet to which everyone is heartily welcomed.
It is a hotel of which Bassano may be proud and upon which Mr. T. H. Hunter, the proprietor, may be warmly congratulated. No expense has been spared to ensure the comfort of each guest and to procure the best hygienic features, and it is bound to be a paying venture from the start. The rooms fittings by the Bassano Trading Company are elaborate and cozy.
A gasoline pump provides the upper rooms constantly with water and a huge boiler in the basement provides the warm water. Every one of the 48 upper rooms are wired for electric light and are fitted for natural gas. Meanwhile, the illumination will be acetylene gas. Particular attention has been devoted to the large kitchen over which Charlie Schwab, whose cooking is well known and relished in Bassano, will reign. Inspection of this is urged. It is spacious, airy, cool, and possesses one of the most modern cooking ranges known. Adjoining it is a cool storeroom which when provided with a refrigerator will be proof against germs. The dining room is attractive in the extreme, the tables are only made for four so that there will be no crowding and are laid diagonally to one another. A plate rail runs the length of the dining room lined with expensive and attractive looking china.
The house throughout is finished with oak which gives the interior a pleasing harmonious appearance.
The sample rooms are quite a feature of the house, and the drummer will find ample and proper accommodation for his wares. A huge cool cellar running the length of the house will be cut up for storerooms.
Each floor has its own sumptuously furnished parlor leading out on to spacious balconies.
From the rotunda to the roof the same standard of completeness and comfort is maintained, even to the conveniently placed iron fire escapes.
As soon as possible it is promised that the whole hotel will be brick veneered. It is easily the largest building in town and will be a much sought after resort immediately its doors are opened.
Money can get your name on lots of things. Looking around villages, towns and cities in the late 20th and early 21st century one can notice how many companies have sponsored things. Just look to the local hockey rink and chances are there is a company sponsorship deal. Townships of CP Rail were no different on the Royal Line.
Bassano was named after one of their biggest shareholders from Italy, the Marquis de Bassano whose name was used for the town of Bassano, and his wife, the Countess had the small hamlet of Countess named after her.
Loading the Bassano station July 2012
The thoughts of where the names come from emerges as we contemplate the history of railways in the area. In the early 2000’s Bassano moved for a time from the “Best in the west by a Dam site” to the Train engine logo. Which was puzzling when it was unable to refurbish their old CP Rail station, Countess was not selected to become its new home, that was Beiseker, AB in 2012. The 104 year old station had already received 1/2 million dollars in renovations on its way to become a tourist destination and museum.
Heading from Bassano to Beiseker
Unfortunately in 2015 fire would reduce the historic building to ash. For an example of historic CP Rail Station a trip to Empress, AB will be beneficial.
Countess still holds to celebrating our railroad heritage as part of the Royal Line with our on-site CP Rail Caboose. It was an amazing thing to go through the rail yards and explore the old engines and cars in the early 2000’s with Wayne Ragan to find this attraction:
The historic Royal Line: Bassano, Duchess, Countess, Rosemary, Patricia, Gem, and Empress:
Our community museum and gathering space also believes in sharing our history and artifacts with our neighbours. Bassano, the town named after the wealthy investor from Italy in CP Rail is just 5 minutes away (Countess was named after his wife, the Countess de Bassano). When they had a museum, we loaned out some great artifacts that we hope inspired present and future generations to keep searching out their stories.
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We also work with schools to bring in artifacts to aid their students in problem solving, hypothesis, and critical thinking in discovery of what it could be.
As promised at the 2013 celebration the playhouse once again hit the road for the parade season in 2014. This time to make wishes come true for kids in support of Children’s Wish. The communities new what to expect as part of our travelling playhouse with the 1923 Hahn Pumper Truck and Stage Coach. Donations were taken in the playhouse piggy bank on wheels, and folks could also enter to win a playhouse end of the summer at the celebration at Countess Country Museum.
Great fun was had (some images here) and other fun:
Oh and did we mention we pulled in over $13,000 to grant wishes?
And we celebrated (childrens wish (1)1) with a truly traditional prairie activity, a playhouse raising to grant a wish for a great kid named Ben.
Some great shots of the celebration:
Finally, walls were prepped at the celebration for great fun to come in Okotoks as all the pieces were brought together:
Thank you Countess and Friends for making wishes come true!
Doing newspaper archive research is fun for it creates a slice of life of the past that the only equivalent to understand today would be mining social media. Discovering day in the life of, sports, religion, history and the such. One of the most reported on stories in the Bassano Recorder during the 1930’s was the Red Cross drives. Why in the 1930’s? For those who do not know, it was the Great Depression. The stock market crashed in 1929, and then the droughts and grasshoppers hit the prairies like an Old Testament Cecil B. Demille movie. It is stories of neighbours helping neighbours.
This is inspirational when we look at the recent history of Countess that saw two back to back summers where we reached out to help our neighbour. The first is an all to familiar place for many families in Southern Alberta, Calgary’s Alberta’s Children’s Hospital.
We spent the summer with playhouse floats raising money, and taking names for a raffle draw at the end wind up. It involved our historic 1923 Hahn Pumper Truck, and our stage coach. In the end we raised $10, 686.89, and celebrated with a fun western themed BBQ extravaganza.
Growing up you could always find a hockey game or a baseball game. These clippings from the Bassano Recorder archives share a lively sports scene on the Royal Line of CP Rail (the Royal Line was Bassano, Duchess, Countess, Gem, Rosemary, Patricia and Empress).
(Stomping Tom Connors The Hockey Song- Listen here)
Bassano Clippers V. Countess in Hockey (what would our team name be?)
Local team loses 7-1
Countess was no different. At one point Bassano absorbed our female baseball players so that they could have a winning season 1937), oh and we beat Gem (Take me out to the ball game, listen here):
The games of summer, and winter bring community together over a hot dog roast or hot cocoa to celebrate the fun times! If anyone has any other sports news of the day feel free to share (or photos!-art!).
Countess Chronicle 